10 Editor-Tested Must-Haves From Moda Operandi’s Newly-Launched Beauty Category
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Moda Operandi is officially a luxury beauty destination. Today, the retailer expanded their style offerings to include an edited collection of beauty goods across skin care, fragrance, hair care, makeup, and body care categories.
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The industry veteran behind Moda Operandi’s beauty selections is what sets this launch apart from other luxury retailers: In May 2022, Moda Operandi scooped up Jessica Matlin, former Harper’s Bazaar beauty director and co-host of the popular beauty podcast, Fat Mascara. Matlin hand-picked and vetted each product in the new beauty category, calling the collection a mix of “heroes and hidden gems.”
Though skin care might be the dominant category in Moda Operandi’s beauty collection right now, you can also shop a unique mix of high quality hair, makeup, and body care items — scroll through, and you’ll see everything from celebrity-loved Augustinus Bader moisturizers to great body lotions and perfumes for women from niche fragrance brands. “Every product you will see is chosen deliberately, because it is the best in its category or has something uniquely inspiring to offer. Our edit includes the established and emerging brands that we believe deserve a place in your beauty wardrobe,” said Matlin.
The collection of investment-worthy skin care goods is just one facet of Moda Operandi’s approach to beauty: The retailer will also highlight designers’ skin care routines and share tutorials from the artists behind the most talked about beauty looks of the season.
Ahead, our favorite finds from Moda Operandi’s beauty lineup.
U Beauty Resurfacing Compound
Streamline your nighttime routine with U Beauty’s Resurfacing Compound. This do-it-all formula contains a medley of ingredients to, as the name suggests, resurface your skin. Smooth on a few drops of the golden liquid before bed for brighter skin by morning: Vitamin C forages damaging free radicals from sun exposure, alpha hydroxy acids dissolve dead cells, and vitamin E and hyaluronic acid soften your complexion for an overnight glow.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “My dry skin would be a disaster during winter without U Beauty’s Resurfacing Compound,” says Adam Mansuroglu, director of commerce for WWD and Footwear News. “After just a couple of uses, I could see and feel the improvement in my skin’s textures and complexion — a rarity in a heavily saturated skin care market.”
Crown Affair The Renewal Mask
Tsubaki seed oil and yuzu extract are the game-changing ingredients in Crown Affair’s The Renewal Mask. Together, the ingredients impart mega moisture and strengthen your hair so it’s smoother, softer, and less likely to develop split ends. Unlike some hair masks on the market, the lightweight texture allows the formula to rinse out easily so it won’t weigh down your strands.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “I have naturally curly hair that I color a few times a year, and blow dry a few times a week,” says Claire Sullivan, senior beauty and lifestyle commerce editor for WWD and Footwear News. “Let’s just say that my hair can always use some TLC. This Crown Affair mask is a favorite because once weekly use makes a noticeable difference in my hair’s texture — my strands are always softer to the touch and less frazzled after I leave this salve in for 10 minutes after shampooing.”
Macrene Actives High Performance Face Serum
Renowned board certified dermatologist Dr. Macrene Alexiades is behind this super serum. She concocted the formula to include skin-transforming active ingredients like wrinkle-smoothing peptides and hyaluronic acid, brightening glucosamine, and nourishing sunflower seed oil and jojoba esters. What you won’t find? Animal byproducts, mica, silicone, mineral oils, or parabens.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “Don’t let the lightweight formula fool you. Macrene Actives High-Performance Face Serum is packed with powerful active ingredients that quench your skin’s thirst (seriously, my skin absorbs this serum like a sponge),” says Mansuroglu. “It’s allowed me to simplify my beauty routine and look better than ever — need I say more?”
Westman Atelier Bonne Brow Defining Pencil
With most brow pencils, what you see is what you get. That’s not the case with Westman Atelier’s Bonne Brow Defining Pencil. It contains a spoolie that screws into the base of the packaging for easy on-the-go touch ups and sanitary storage. The retractable tip has a chiseled angle that lets you fake feathery hairs or add intense definition, depending on how you apply it.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “Westman Atelier’s Bonne Brow creates the perfect definition with a natural appearance,” says Mansuroglu. “The angled tip makes it easy to apply and the spoolie gives it a seamlessly blended look. Plus, Bark happens to be the perfect shade match for my hair, which isn’t always easy to find with tinted brow gels and pencils.”
Westman Atelier Bonne Brow Defining Pencil
Supergoop! Glow Screen SPF 40
Of all the skin care products you put in rotation, a great face sunscreen is the most important item for protecting your skin and preventing signs of aging. Supergoop! Glow Screen SPF 40 will be your new year-round favorite; it’s breathable on the skin and has a subtle luminosity that imparts radiance without shine. The light tint to the formula is sheer, so it wears beautifully on fair to deep skin tones.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “This sunscreen is one of the products I always have on my vanity,” says Sullivan. “I apply a generous amount on my face and neck every morning — it gives me a glow, no matter how dull my skin is feeling. I love to wear it under makeup for a hint of healthy sheen.”
Supergoop! Glow Screen SPF 40
Ellis Brooklyn Super Amber Eau de Parfum
If traditional eaus tend to give you a headache, give Ellis Brooklyn’s Super Amber Eau de Parfum a spritz. You’ll enjoy wafts of amber, cedarwood, and musk in subtle form — it’s a noticeable scent that doesn’t overpower your nose. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and the glass bottle is recyclable.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “This is one of my go-to scents to wear when I’m headed to the office — I know I’ll smell amazing without making eyes water in the elevator,” says Sullivan. “The warming fragrance is just right for fall, winter, and early spring.”
Ellis Brooklyn Super Amber Eau de Parfum
Isamaya Industrial Rubberlash Mascara
British makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench is known for her boundary-pushing looks on celebrities like Rihanna, Cher, Madonna, and Kate Moss. Her imaginative line launched in June 2022, and it’s already garnered praise from the likes of Julia Fox. Isamaya’s Industrial Rubberlash Mascara is a top performer — it contains polymers and waxes that uplift lashes without making them feel brittle or dry.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “This mascara has been my go-to tube since I first opened it last fall,” says Sullivan. “The inky formula builds up without clumping and doesn’t smudge after hours of wear, even on rainy days. I love the bristled ball tip on the end of the wand — it deftly coats the finest lashes close to the inner corners of my eyes.”
Tata Harper Vitamin Infused Cream Blush
These little pots of color pack a punch — a few dots of Tata Harper’s Vitamin Infused Cream Blush is plenty to warm up your cheeks. The formula contains a slew of skin-loving oils, like cacay, plum, rosehip seed, and camellia oils. Moda Operandi offers three shades: One pale pink, one peach, and one rich red to suit any skin tone.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “These are some of the best cream blushes for long days,” says Sullivan. “The oil-rich formula doesn’t dry out, so my cheeks look refreshed and bright, not dry or splotchy. I also love to swipe it on my lips for a touch of color.”
Tata Harper Vitamin Infused Cream Blush
Sangre de Fruta Head of Roses Botanical Shampoo
If you loathe wash day, let Sangre de Fruta’s Head of Roses Botanical Shampoo reframe your mindset. You’ll love using this vegan formula, which has an eau de parfum-caliber scent with notes of rose and sandalwood. The shampoo contains camellia oil to soften dry hair and calendula to soothe an itchy scalp. Pair it with the brand’s conditioner in the same fragrance for head-clearing rinse.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “Sangre de Fruta creates some of my favorite hair care products,” says Sullivan. “I’m a sucker for shampoo and conditioner that smell sophisticated, not soapy or fruity, and every scent I’ve tried has lovely, nuanced notes.”
Tan Luxe The Face Self-Tanning Drops
If you equate self tanner with orange streaks and an off-putting scent, think again. Tan Luxe’s The Face Self-Tanning Drops are far from traditional faux tanning products — they don’t smell and develop color gradually. All you have to do is mix a drop or two of the formula into your favorite moisturizer and massage it evenly onto your face and neck; you’ll develop some warmth within eight hours.
Editor’s testing and review notes: “These self-tanning drops are always on standby when I want my skin to look more radiant and warm,” says Sullivan. “I prefer to mix them in my night cream before bed, and I always do a gentle exfoliation beforehand so that the color turns out even.”
Meet the Authors
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News. She’s spent over five years researching, reporting on, and writing about the beauty industry for publications like Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as a beauty editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting the items that make a meaningful difference in the health of your skin and hair.
Adam Mansuroglu is the Director of Commerce for WWD and Footwear News, top editing shopping content for both sites. The Brooklyn-native has written and edited countless beauty stories for publications such as Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health, Out Magazine and more for over 12 years. Mansuroglu tests new beauty products daily, including his top picks from Moda Operandi’s new beauty section.
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